Internal combustion engine



May 4, 1965 P. B. JOHNSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 19 1963 INVENTOR. Paul fiJo/mson y 4, 1965 P. B. JOHNSON 3,181,511

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 19, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Paul BJohnson United States Patent 3,181,511 HNTERNAL CGMEUSTEUN ENSHNE Paul B. Johnson, Rte. 1, Box 24, Yucaipa, Calif. Filed Apr. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 274,158 Claims. (til. 123-16) This invention relates to an internal combustion engine having as a principal object the provision of an engine having a minimum number of parts.

Another object is to provide an engine of the above type wherein the fuel is processed through four Otto cycles without requiring valves, cams, gears, springs or counterweights.

Another object is to provide an engine of the above type wherein a single vane is effective to accomplish the four Otto cycles within one revolution of the rotor or power output shaft.

Another object is to provide an engine of the above type wherein power impulses are overlapped in each revolution of the rotor and power output shaft.

Another object is to provide means for effectively cooling and lubricating a rotary internal combustion engine.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are accomplished will be readily understood on reference to the following specification when read in con junction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of the invention and is taken along the line 1--1 of P16. 2.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of PEG. 1 taken at point A.

PEG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a form similar to FIG. 4 but modified by the addition of an oil sump.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modified form of the invention illustrating a reversed position of the chambers thus reversing the rotational direction of the rotor.

Referring in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3, the engine shown therein comprises a casing 19 which is integral with a supporting base 11 and forms a stator S. The latter includes an outer annular wall 13 and an inner annular wall 14. The inner wall 14 is formed integral with a side wall 15 having a coaxially extending boss 17 wherein is journaled a power output shaft 18.

A rotor R, annular in shape, is provided which is integrally formed at one end with a spoked member 19 having a hub 29 keyed to the power output shaft 18. A bracket 21 may be fixed to the inner wall 1 to support a generator (not shown) or other equipment to be driven by the shaft 18. Retaining rings 22 and 23 are provided to locate the shaft 13 in place.

Resilient sealing rings 24 are fitted in circumferentially extending channels in the stator walls 13 and 14 to effectively prevent escape of gases from between the ends of the rotor and adjoining portions of the stator wall 13 and 14.

An even number of chambers 26, 27, 2S and 29 are formed alternately in the stator walls 13 and 14 and are angularly spaced from each other. The wall sections forming such chambers are concentric with the rotorthroughout the greater portions of their length but taper at their ends toward the rotor.

An odd number of hollow vanes 39 are equally spaced around the rotor and are slideably mounted in radially extending openings 31 formed in the rotor.

The portion of each of the inner and outer walls 13 and 14 opposite a chamber lies directly adjacent the rotor and the tapered end portions of the wall sections forming the chambers act to earn the vanes 36 radially into the neigha complete revolution of the rotor.

3, id i ,5 ll Patented May 4, 1965 ice boring chambers as the rotor turns. For this purpose, the Walls are spaced substantially a constant radial distance apart, such parallelism acting to positively control the radial positioning of the vanes at all times.

The chambers 26 and 28 each form combined intakecompression chambers and each is provided at its forward end (considering the rotor to turn in a clockwise direction in FIG. 1) with an inlet 32 for combustible gas and adjacent its rear end with a spark plug 33 threaded into a side wall 14 of the chamber. Suitable spark producing and timing devices (not shown) are connected to the spark plugs and are driven by the shaft 18 in time with the rotor.

The chambers 2'7 and 29 each form combined expansion-exhaust chambers, each having an exhaust outlet 35 at its rear end.

Each of the vanes 3% has a cavity 36 therein and is pro vided with a lateral opening 37 opening into the cavity adjacent the inner end of the vane and a similar opening 33 opening into the cavity adjacent the outer end. As shown in FIG. 3, each vane preferably has resilient seal ing blades 39 extending along the length of the vane and fitted in channels therein to form gas tight seals.

In the operation of the engine, passage of a vane 39 clockwise through the chamber 26 will draw combustible fuel from the gas inlet 32 into the chamber behind the vane and at the same time, gas formerly drawn into the chamber 26 ahead of said vane by the preceding vane will be compressed, and as the vane approaches the spark plug 33 such gas is forced through the opening 37 into the cavity 36 of the vane.

As the vane 30 arrives adjacent the spark plug 33 (or just prior thereto depending on the spark setting time) an electrical spark is produced by the spark plug to ignite the fuel in the vane cavity 36. Immediately thereafter, the vane will be cammed outwardly into the chamber 27, thereby closing the opening 37 and presenting the opening 38 to the forward end of the new chamber 27. Thus, the now burning and expanding gas may escape from the cavity 36 and since the forward end of the chamber 27 is otherwise closed, expansion of the gas will now drive against the vane, thus presenting a power thrust to propel the rotor R in a clockwise direction. At the same time, any formerly burned gases will be forced out through the exhaust outlet 35 by the advancing side of the cane 3%.

It will be noted that since the vanes are equally spaced the expansion or power strokes do not occur at the same time but are arranged in overlapping relation throughout In the particular embodiment shown, six power strokes are obtained per revolution and each power stroke extends through approximately 90.

If desired, a single vane could be used, in which case two power strokes would be obtained during each revolution.

As the vanes pass through the chambers 28 and 29 they perform in a manner similar to that described in connection with the chambers 26 and 27.

Suitable cooling means (not shown) is preferably provided to cool the inner and outer walls of the stator.

Describing now the modified form shown in FIG. 4, the chambers corresponding to chambers 2% and 29 in FIG. 1 are eliminated and chambers 42 and 43 are substituted in their stead. The chambers 42 and 43 are preferably open at their sides to receive cooling air or other fluid whereby to cool the vanes and rotor and to insure complete evacuation of any gases that may have lingered in the hollow pocket 36 of a vane.

In a further modified form shown in FIG. 5 the chamber 43 is closed at its sides and has an opening 44 communicating the forward end of the chamber with an oil sump 45 formed in the base of the stator. A return tube both cool and lubricate each vane 3t) and the rotor and may also be directed by passageways (not shown) to the bearing boss 17 of the output shaft 18 of the motor.

In FIG. 4, since three vanes are again disclosed but only one combustion chamber, three power impulses only will be provided during each revolution of the output shaft 18. However, in either embodiment the number of vanes may be increased to accordingly increase the number of power strokes per revolution. Likewise, the number of chambers may be increased to also increase the number of power strokes per revolution.

In the form shown in FIG. 6, the same four. Otto cycles are accomplished as in the other forms although the chambers 26 and 27 and the spark plug 33 are positioned dififerently. The chamber 26 is positioned outside of the rotor R and the chamber 27 is positioned inside the rotor R thereby reversing the direction of the rotor, i.e., counterclockwise instead of clockwise as in the other forms.

To facilitate assembly, an opening 48 (see FIG. 3) may be provided in the wall 13 of the stator S for insertion of the vane 30 into the opening 31 of the rotor R.

The opening 43 may be closed by a plug 49 secured to the wall as by bolts 50. 1

Having thus described the invention, what I desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a rotor, a stator having a first wall structure on one side of said rotor and a second wall structure on the other side of said rotor; said first wall structure having a first wall section directly adjacent said rotor throughout substantially the length of said first wall section and a second wall section angularly spaced from said first wall section, said second wall section being spaced from said rotor a predetermined amount throughout substantially the length of said second wall section to form an intake-compression chamber, said second wall structure having a third wall section aligned with said first wall section and a fourth wall section aligned withsaid second wall section, said third wall section being spaced from said rotor a predetermined amount throughout substantially the length of said third wall section to form'an expansion-exhaust chamber, a vane movable through an opening in said rotor and slideably engaging said first and second wall structures, a combustible gas inlet port opening into said intakecompression chamber adjacent the forward end thereof, an ignition device in said intake-compression chamber adjacent the rear end thereof, and an exhaust port opening into said expansion-exhaust chamber adjacent the rear end thereof, said vane having a gas receiving cavity therer in, said vane having a first gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with a portion of said intakecompression chamber ahead of said vane when said vane projects into said intake-compression chamber and said vane having a second gas transmitting opening cornmuni inner wall structure having a first wall section adjacent said rotor and a second Wall section angularly spaced from said first wall section, said second wall section being spaced radially from said rotor a predetermined amount throughout substantially the length thereof to form an intake-compression chamber, said outer wall structure having a third wall section radially aligned with said first wall section and spaced radially outward from said rotor by said predetermined amount throughout substantially the length thereof to form an expansion-exhaust chamber, said outer wall structure having a fourth wall section adjacent said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof and radially aligned with said second wall section, a vane movable radially in an opening in said rotor and slideably engaging said inner and outer wall structures, a combustible gas inlet port opening into said intake-cornpression chamber adjacent the forward end thereof, an ignition device in said intake-compression chamber adjacent the rear end thereof, and an exhaust port opening into said expansion-exhaust chamber adjacent the rear end thereof, said vane having a gas receiving cavity there-' in, said vane having a first gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with the portion of said intakecompression chamber ahead of said vane when said vane projects into said-intake-compression chamber whereby to transmit gas from said intake-compression chamber to said cavity, and said vane having a second gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with a portion of said expansion-exhaust chamber behind said vane when said vane projects into said expansion-exhaust chamber.

3. A rotary internal combustion engine according to claim 2 wherein one of said wall structures has a fifth Wall section angularly spaced from said previously mentioned wall sections and radially spaced from said rotor to form a lubricating chamber, means for admitting lubricating fiuid to said lubricating chamber adjacent the forward end of said In ricating chamber, and means adjacent the rear end of said lubricating chamber for collecting lubricatin fluid advanced through said lubricating chamber by said vane.

4. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a cylindrical rotor, a stator having an inner wall structure extending around the inside of said rotor and an outer wall structure extending around the outside of said rotor; said inner wall structure having an even number of angularly spaced first wall sections directly adjacent said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof, and a plurality of second wall sections interposed between said first wall sections, said second wall sections being spaced radially inward from said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof to form intake-compression chambers, said outer wall structure having a plurality of third wall sections radially aligned with said first wall sections and spaced radially outward from said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof to form expansion-exhaust chambers, said outer wall structure having a plurality of fourth wall sections adjacent said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof and an odd number of equally angularly spaced vanes movable radially in openings in said rotor,'said vanes slideably engaging said first and second wall structures, combustible gas inlet ports opening into said intake-compression chambers adjacent the forward ends thereof, ignition devices in said intakecompression chambers adjacent the rear ends thereof, and exhaust ports opening into'said expansion-exhaust chambers adjacent the rear ends thereof, each of said vanes having a gas receiving cavity therein, and a first gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with theportion of a said intake-compression chamber ahead of said vane when said vane projects into said last mentioned chamber whereby to transmit gas from said last mentioned chamber to said cavity, and each of said vanes having a second gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with a portion of a said expansion-exhaust chamber behind said vane when said vane projects into said last mentioned chamber.

5. A rotary internal combustion engine comprising a rotor, a stator having a first wall structure on one side of said rotor and a second wall structure on the other side of said rotor; said first Wall structure having a first wall section directly adjacent said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof and a second wall section angularly spaced from said first wall section throughout substantially the length thereof, said second wall section being spaced from said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof to form an intake-compression chamber, said second wall structure having a third wall section aligned with said first wall section and a fourth wall section aligned with said second wall section, said third wall section being spaced from said rotor throughout substantially the length thereof to form an expansion-exhaust 1Q chamber, a vane movable through an opening in said rotor and slideably engaging said first and second wall structures, means for admitting a combustible gas into said intake-compression chamber, means in said intakecompression chamber for igniting said gas, and means for conveying exhaust gas from said expansion-exhaust chamber, said vane having a gas receiving cavity therein, said vane having a first gas transmitting opening communieating said cavity with a portion of said intake-compression chamber ahead of said vane when said vane projects into said intake-compression chamber and said vane having a second gas transmitting opening communicating said cavity with a portion of said expansion-exhaust chamber behind said vane when said vane projects into said expansion-exhaust chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,899,374 2/33 Werle 123-16 3,008,457 11/61 Mezzetta 123-16 3,118,432 1/64 Peterson 123l6 FOREIGN PATENTS 702,632 1/31 France. 414,412 6/25 Germany.

KARL J. ALBRECHT, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH H. BRANSON, JR., Examiner. 

1. A ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING A ROTOR, A STATOR HAVING A FIRST WALL STRUCTURE ON ONE SIDE OF SAID ROTOR AND A SECOND WALL STRUCTURE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID ROTOR; SAID FIRST WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A FIRST WALL SECTION DIRECTLY ADJACENT SAID ROTOR THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID FIRST WALL SECTION AND A SECOND WALL SECTION ANGULARLY SPACED FROM SAID FIRST WALL SECTION, SAID SECOND WALL SECTION BEING SPACED FROM SAID ROTOR A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID SECOND WALL SECTION TO FORM AN INTAKE-COMPRESSION CHAMBER, SAID SECOND WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A THIRD WALL SECTION ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST WALL SECTION AND A FOURTH WALL SECTION ALIGNED WITH SAID SECOND WALL SECTION, SAID THIRD WALL SECTION BEING SPACED FROM SAID ROTOR A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID THIRD WALL SECTION TO FORM AN EXPANSION-EXHAUST CHAMBER, A VANE MOVABLE THROUGH AN OPENING INTO SAID ROTOR AND SLIDEABLY ENGAGING SAID FIRST AND SECOND WALL STRUCTURES, A COMBUSTIBLE GAS INLET PORT OPENING INTO SAID INTAKECOMPRESSION CHAMBER ADJACENT THE FORWARD END THEREOF, AN IGNITION DEVICE IN SAID INTAKE-COMPRESSION CHAMBER ADJACENT THE REAR END THEREOF, AND AN EXHAUST PORT OPENING INTO SAID EXPANSION-EXHAUST CHAMBER ADJACENT THE REAR END THEREOF, SAID VANE HAVING A GAS RECEIVING CAVITY THEREIN, SAID VANE HAVING A FIRST GAS TRANSMITTING OPENING COMMUNICATING SAID CAVITY WITH A PORTION OF SAID INTAKECOMPRESSION CHAMBER AHEAD OF SAID VANE WHEN SAID VANE PROJECTS INTO SAID INTAKE-COMPRESSION CHAMBER AND SAID VANE HAVING A SECOND GAS TRANSMITTNG OPENING COMMUNICATING SAID CAVITY WITH A PORTION OF SAID EXPANSION-EXHAUST CHAMBER BEHIND SAID VANE WHEN SAID VANE PROJECTS INTO SAID EXPANSION-EXHAUST CHAMBER. 